The present invention relates to hand tools; more particularly, the present invention relates to fused electrical-conducting hand tools.
In many situations, it is necessary to use hand tools to work on sensitive electronic circuits. These sensitive electronic circuits can be damaged by an unwanted electrostatic discharge. Such discharges are often termed static electricity. A great deal of care and expense is currently devoted to protecting sensitive electronic circuitry from the electrostatic discharges inadvertently carried by the technicians who work on these sensitive electronic circuits. Typically, electrostatic discharges originate from the circuits themselves. Damage is done when a conductive path is formed between the circuit and a ground. In many situations, the assembler or repair technician provides the necessary electrical connection between the circuit and ground.
In many applications, the problem of electrostatic discharge is solved by placing a high-resistance tool handle between that portion of the tool which contacts the circuit and the assembler or repair technician. This high resistance tool handle prevents the flow of electricity from that portion of the tool which contacts the work piece through the worker to ground.
It is often desirable, however, that small electrical charges be conducted away from sensitive electronic circuits to assure proper operation of the circuit. In these situations, a worker safety problem is presented when the electrical charge within the circuit is not small, but is of a magnitude that may be either harmful or lethal. In these situations, any electrical conductivity of the tool handle may injure or kill the worker when the tool is used to remove an electrical charge from the circuit.
The need therefore remains in the art to provide a tool which may conduct slight electrical charges away from the work piece, but will still assure the safety of the worker in situations where the electrical charge may be harmful or lethal.